The Long Night
by FaithInHim4ever
Summary: The Queen gets an unexpected roommate. Takes place after “A Friend's Comfort" R/R


DISCLAIMER: We DO NOT own any of the chars from AIW. They belong to Disney. I only own Alicen Sierra Kimberly Miller and her little sister, Samantha. If anyone else would like to use them, please ask my permission first.

God loves you!

Enjoy!

A/N: I hope everyone enjoys this story! My friend, Kate and I certainly enjoyed writing it together!

"A Long Night"

"There" Dum said, surveying his handywork. "Good as new."

"Let's hope the Queen thinks so." Dee said. "We've been working on fixing up Alie's room for the past two hours. If this isn't clean enough for her Majesty, then I don't know what her definition of clean is."

A horrible storm had come through Wonderland the night before, bringing with it thunder, rain and harsh winds. According to the Queen, it was the worst storm they had ever experienced since she first became ruler of Wonderland.

Along with causing damage, it had also caused Alice to spend most of the night before glued to Hatter's side. He had come over earlier that day and ended up hanging out until the storm passed much to the Queen's chagrin.

But in the long run, it was a good thing he was there.

Even though the Queen understood somewhat as to why her daughter was acting so strange, she wasn't that good at comforting her yet.

The brothers jerked their heads around when they heard a familiar purring voice.

"Maybe she means something a little more durable. Or should I say adorable." The Cheshire Cat appeared before them, a wide grin on his face.

"What are you doing here?" Dum asked. "The Queen will have your tail if she finds you in here."

"That's the fun of it." He said. "I live for the excitement and suspense of the chase. Of course, the Queen'll have to catch me first. And pigs will fly before that happens."

"Don't count your chickens before they hatch." Dee advised.

"I don't think I'll have that problem."

"Why not?" Dum asked.

"Because I'm a vegetarian."

"Since when?" Dee asked.

"Since the last time I tasted the Hatte'rs cooking."

Just then, they were joined by Alice.

"Wow!" She said getting a look at the work her brothers had done. "What in Wondaland happened here? I thought Mommy asked you to clean up. Not make a bigger mess."

Dum shot his brother a look.

"I told you we should have started with the window sill."

Dee shrugged.

"Okay, okay. Maybe it's not up to Queenly perfection, but at least the floor's cleaned up."

Alice inspected it as only a seven-year-old could.

"The floor's nice and clean. But shouldn't there be glass in the window?"

The Tweedles glanced at one another, knowing the young girl had gotten them there.

"I don't know about you," Alice said honestly. "But I wouldn't wanna be around when the Queen finds out what you did or what you didn't do." With that, she left.

"I told you we should have fixed the window first." Dum argued as he glanced after their little sister. "She's right. The Queen will have our heads if she finds out the window wasn't fixed."

Dee shook his head.

"Relax brother. It's not like Alie's gonna tell. She's not like that. Besides, all this window needs is some repair work by a couple of guys who are master craftsmen."

"Where are we gonna find people like that?" Dum asked.

Dee gave him a look and nudged him hard.

By the time the Tweedles were done, the room looked halfway decent, but the window was still a wreck.

"Okay. That's the last of it." Dum said, picking up the trash bag that was now full of trash, along with debris from the storm. "Now all we have to do is make sure the Queen doesn't' find out about the window until we can fix it."

"Too late." Dee told him.

"What do you mean?" Dum asked. He whirled around only to come face to face with her Majesty. She did not look amused.

"What's going on around here?" She demanded. "I asked you two to help clean up. Not make an even bigger mess than the storm caused."

"Like mother, like daughter." Dum mumbled just low enough for Dee to hear him.

Unfortunately, the Queen did too.

"I heard that. And it's a thing I've passed something of importance along to that child. Goodness knows she needs some royal enrichment in her life."

"Whatever you say, You're Majesty." Dum said. "But we have a problem."

"I'll say. It looks like another hurricane blew in through here."

"What my brother is trying to say," Dee interjected, "is that with the window broken for the time being, Alice needs another place to sleep."

"What do you mean? Her bed is perfectly fine."

"That's not what we were talking about."

"Then would you kindly explain before I get a royal headache?"

Just then, there was a crash in the kitchen, followed by Alice gasping and saying, "Uh-oh. Mommy's not gonna like that."

The Queen closed her eyes in an effort to stay calm. Something told her it was going to be a long night.

"Well, it looks like we've gotten our work done here for the night." Dum said. "We gotta get going. Besides, don't you wanna check out the damage Rabbit did in the kitchen?"

""Hardly. But I guess a Queen's work is never done."

Before leaving, Dee tried his best to fix up the damaged window temporarily. He tacked up a piece of plastic over it.

"There. Good as new."

The Queen gave him a look as though to say "If that's your definition of new, you need to re read the dictionary."

With that, the brothers left after saying good-bye to Alice and Rabbit.

They promised Alice they'd pick her up the next day before going on a bike ride in the Wonderland woods.

There was only one reason the Queen allowed this and that reason was it gave her some time alone.

Not that she hated the child, far from it. She cared for her greatly, maybe more than she would admit aloud. But she did need some time alone every now and again.

If only Alice wasn't' so inquisitive, then maybe the Queen would be able to tolerate her presence more often.

She didn't understand how the others didn't get a headache from Alice's constant questions to her constant need for conversation.

If the Queen had a wobuck for every time Alice asked "why" she would be richer than the Duchess.

"I would have been better off asking Hatter and Hare to do this. Then again, maybe not."

With that, she took a deep breath before entering the kitchen.

It wasn't as bad as she thought.

Alice was sitting at the table, drinking some apple juice and finishing up her spelling homework while Dinah lapped up the spilled milk on the floor.

As the Queen's gaze traveled to the mess near the stove, she glared at Rabbit.

Before unleashing her wrath upon him, she turned her attention to her daughter.

"Are you finished yet?" She asked.

"Almost." Alice replied. "What does shambles mean?.

"I would think you would know the definition of that word by now."

"Why?" Alice asked innocently.

The Queen sighed.

"Shambles is another word for big mess. Or in other words, what Rabbit does to the kitchen nearly on a daily basis."

"Okay." Alice replied. She tried not to giggle as she wrote the last word down. "There. All done."

"Good. Now why don't you take your juice into the living room and watch some TV."

"But it's a school night. You never let me watch TV past eight-thirty on a school night."

"Well consider tonight an exception. Now go on before I change my mind."

"Okay!" With that, she left, Dinah trailing behind her. Her voice was heard down the hallway as she entered the living room. "No. I'm not letting you have the remote. I don't care if they're playing the Feline hour on Animal planet. I'm watching "the Wild Thornberrys" and that's final."

After her daughter was out of the room, the Queen rounded on Rabbit.

It was only after she had started yelling at him, did she realize which pot had been broken.

"Never mind." She said. "This one was a present from the Duchess. I never liked it much anyway. Come to think of it, it looks better now." With that, she went to check on Alice, leaving Rabbit to clean up the mess.

When the Queen entered the living room, she found her daughter sitting in her favorite chair with a pout on her face.

She was about to ask what the problem was, when she realized what channel the TV was turned to.

"I think the TV's broken." Alice informed her mother.

"What makes you say that? It's on, isn't it?"

"Yeah. But I can't get anything but the hat channel."

"Nothing at all?"

"No. Unless you count the sombrero network for pets."

The Queen nodded. She glanced down at her watch and noticed the time.

"It's just as well. It's bedtime for you anyway."

Alice gave her mother a hopeful look.

"Aww, can't I stay a little longer, please?"

"No. You know the rules here."

Alice nodded.

"Nobody corrects the Queen?"

"That's one of them." She said. "At least you remembered it."

Alice pouted, but obeyed. She knew it was wiser to poke a sleeping wobear than to get her mother mad.

After brushing her teeth with her favorite electric Little Mermaid toothbrush that played Under the Sea while she brushed, she washed her face and got into bed.

After Rabbit read her a story, she said her prayers before waiting for the Queen to come into say good night.

As Dinah jumped onto the bed and secured her spot next to Alice underneath the warmest cover, she made herself comfortable.

Her head poked out of the top of the blanket, while she put her right front paw in Alice's left hand.

The Queen came in a few minutes later.

Before tucking Alice in, she went over to the window to make sure it was secure.

"That's the last time I ask the Tweedles to repair anything around here. I'd be better off asking the Hatter and Hare."

Alice giggled at this.

"I don't know about that. Mr. Hatter does have a funny way of fixing things."

"Not to me he doesn't."

Alice shrugged.

"Dee told me that you would sooner hire someone off the street before you let Mr. Hatter fix your toaster again."

The Queen nodded absently.

After she was sure Alice would be okay, she bade her good night and left the room. Little did she know how soon she would be seeing the child again…

Later that night, Alice awoke to the sound of the wind rustling in the trees. Only with the plastic over her window, it made it sound like a pack of wolves was outside.

Dinah stirred beside her and let out a meow.

"I know what you mean." She told her faithful feline. "It's loud out there." She shivered just then and pulled the blanket tighter around her. "And cold."

Just as she was about to settle down, a large gust of wind picked up. This resulted not only in the plastic coming off the window, but one of Alice's angel figurines falling to the floor with a crash.

Letting out a scream of fright, Alice wasted no time in jumping out of bed and seeking refuge somewhere else.

Dinah followed her, always one to watch over her.

Getting to the door she wanted, she quietly, but quickly slipped inside.

Guided by the red heart shaped night light gleaming from the wall near the dresser, Alice made her way to her mother's bed.

As Alice was about to climb in next to her, Dinah beat her to it.

"Dinah, no!" She hissed.

As she went to grab the cat, her elbow knocked into something small on the headboard.

Alice held her breath as the glass ornament made its descent. She prayed it wouldn't make too much noise.

It was then that she realized the carpet underneath the bed.

Taking a deep breath, Alice walked over to the side of the bed where the Queen was laying and timidly shook her shoulder.

As for Dinah, she had successfully secured her spot furthest away from the sleeping monarch.

She had also stolen a blanket that was small and fuzzy. Laying upon it and rolling around until the blanket was securely around her, she stuck her head out of the top before falling asleep.

"You're Majesty. You're Majesty. You're Majesty, wake up."

Alice sighed. She wasn't getting anywhere and she needed to get some sleep.

She decided to try again. This time, she shook her a little harder.

"You're Majesty? Mommy? Mommy!"

"Wha-what!" The Queen asked as she sat up. "What's going on?" Alice, what are you doing in here?"

Alice didn't' answer at first. She hadn't quite thought that far yet.

The Queen had turned the light on by this point, bathing the room in a bright golden hue.

As Alice's eyes adjusted to it, she gazed around the room in awe. She had never been in her mother's room before. It was like stepping into a forbidden part of Disney World.

"Alice, did you hear what I asked you?" The Queen demanded.

Alice tore her eyes away from the lush surroundings and ornate decorations to glance at her mother.

As she came out of her temporary trance, she remembered what her mother had asked of her.

"I couldn't sleep." Alice replied simply. "May I sleep with you, please? There's a ghost in my room!"

The Queen shook her head in frustration.

"There are no such things as ghosts. Utter nonsense if you ask me."

"But I heard it myself!" Alice insisted.

Dinah meowed as though to put her two cents in.

"I didn't ask your opinion."

"Dinah heard 'em too. Please, You're Majesty? I promise I'll be good."

The Queen was about to reply, when she caught sight of what Dinah had.

"Hey! That's not yours! Give that back!"

Dinah hissed and gave the Queen a look clearly daring her to take it back.

"Fine. That blanket's old anyway."

Dinah meowed before laying back down.

"You should teach your cat better manners."

"She's pretty possessive when she finds something she likes." Alice told her mother. "You should have seen her the day I brought home a new toy for her and we were cat sitting."

Silence passed before Alice broke it.

"So, can I?"

"It's may I," she corrected the seven-year-old.

"Okay, okay. May I?"

"May you what?" The Queen asked.

Alice sighed in exasperation.

"May I sleep here with you? I don't' kick or anything like that. I don't even talk in my sleep."

The Queen thought about this for a long time.

"Something tells me I'm not going to get any sleep until I give you what you want."

"You mean it?" Alice asked.

"I know I'm gonna regret this sooner or later. But, I guess it'll be all right for one night."

Alice grinned and threw her arms around the Queen's neck.

"Thank you, Mommy! Thank you!"

"You're welcome. Now, enough of that. Let's get some sleep."

Alice nodded.

The only trouble was, now that she was in this new place, she didn't' feel tired anymore.

A few minutes later, the Queen was just drifting off when Alice's voice interrupted it.

"You're Majesty?"

"Hmmm?"

"Did you always live here?"

"What do you mean? Of course I've always lived here."

"No. I mean here in this palace? Was it always yours?"

"Well, it belonged to my mother before me, and her mother before her and so on and so forth. But I guess you can say it was always in the family."

"Why don't I ever see your mother? She never comes to visit."

"Well, she lives far away." The Queen replied.

"She doesn't live here in Wondaland?"

"Yes, but in a remote part."

"What does remote mean?"

"Well, it means secluded."

"What does secluded mean?"

"Well, it means closed off. Alone."

"She must be lonely without you."

"She's surviving."

"You sound like you don't' want to see her."

"All right. Enough small talk. It's time for bed."

"I'm not that small." Alice retorted.

The Queen smiled, despite herself.

She didn't answer though in hopes Alice would quiet down and go to sleep.

It wasn't long before Alice's voice met her ears once again.

"Mommy?"

"Huh?"

"What's your middle name?"

"I don't think that's any of your business."

"You know mine."

"So?"

"So, it's only fair for you to tell me yours."

The Queen sighed.

"Not now." She replied.

"Why not?" Alice asked. "You're not doing anything else."

"How about I tell you a story instead?"

"Are you embarrassed by your middle name or something?"

"No. But I am getting rather impatient."

Alice got the hint and seemed to settle down.

But it dint' last for long.

"Is it Nicole?"

"Of course not. What respecting royalty would name their daughter Nicole?"

"I dunno." Alice replied. "Elisabeth? Victoria? Sheba?"

"Stop that. And for your information, Victoria is a distant cousin of mien. Very distant."

"Was she twice removed?"

"Where did you hear that?"

"Mr. Hatter."

"It figures."

"He said that he had this cousin who did something really bad and they threw out of the family tree."

"They're some member of my family I'd like to do the same to."

"The Duchess?" Alice asked.

"Oh Heaven's no. In fact, if the Duchess were part of the family, I'd removed myself from the tree permanently."

Alice nodded. She was beginning to get tired, but she wanted to fight it for as long as she could. She was enjoying herself.

"Will I ever be queen someday?"

"Maybe someday." She replied.

"You're Majesty?" Alice said a few minutes later. "Tell me that story now, please?"

"You know I don't know any stories suitable for children."

"Then make one up."

"Let's not and say I did."

"You're always telling me a Queen ever goes back on her word."

"I've never been that good at making up stories."

"Well, I can show you. It's easy and fun."

"Well, make it quick."

"I'll try." Alice said. "Okay. Once upon a time there lived a rich and beautiful Queen."

"I like the sound of this story."

Alice grinned. She had the Queen and she knew it.

"Okay. Where was I?"

"You were talking about the rich, beautiful and wise Queen."

"Uh, I don't think I said wise." She said, catching on.

"Well, give me a break. I'm new at this."

"Okay. Wise she was. So anyway, one day, the Queen went outside to pick berries and found a basket on her doorstep. The basket was full of bunnies!"

The Queen shook her head.

"I don't think so. One bunny in this palace is enough!"

"Okay. Then what do you think the basket was full of?" Alice asked her mother.

The Queen smiled.

"Money. Lots and lots of money."

"Uh, I don't think so."

"Why not? All Queens need money."

"But this Queen already had money." Alice argued.

"Who's telling the story here?"

"I thought I was."

"Well, you wanted me to try this. So let me give a try."

"Okay. Go on."

"All right. So let's see. The rich, beautiful and wise Queen found a basket of money on her doorstep. She checked for a note, but found there wasn't one. So naturally, she did what any Queen would do in the same situation. She went on a shopping spree. So what did you think? Not bad for my first try, eh?"

IT was then that the Queen glanced down to find Alice fast asleep.

"Well I didn't think it was that bad." With that, the Queen tucked the covers around Alice before drifting off to sleep herself. Finally, after a long night, sleep found both of them.

THE END


End file.
